Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane

Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane is an American comic book series published monthly by DC Comics. The series focusing on the adventures of Lois Lane began publication with a March/April 1958 cover date and ended its run in September/October 1974, with 137 regular issues and two 80-page Annuals.[1][2] Following the similar themed Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane was the second comic series based on a Superman supporting character.[3]

Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane
Cover of Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #1, art by Curt Swan and Stan Kaye.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
ScheduleBimonthly then monthly
FormatStandard
Publication dateMarch/April 1958 –
September/October 1974
No. of issues137 plus 2 Annuals
Creative team
Written by
List
Penciller(s)
List
Inker(s)
List
Editor(s)
List

At the peak of its popularity in 1962, Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane was the third best-selling comic book in the United States, surpassed only by Superman and Superboy in sales.[4]

Publication history

Following a tryout in Showcase,[5] DC decided to give Lois Lane her own ongoing series.[6] The comic series focus on Lois' solo adventures, and sometimes with stories centered on Lois' romantic interest in Superman and her attempts to maneuver him into marriage, only to fail due to a comic plot twist. In the early 1960s, Lana Lang made regular guest appearances, generally as Lois' romantic rival. Artist Kurt Schaffenberger drew most of the stories for the first 81 issues of the series, missing only issue #29.[7][8] Schaffenberger's rendition of Lois Lane became cited by many[9][10] as the "definitive" version of the character. Singer Pat Boone appeared in issue #9 (May 1959) before starring in his own comic book series.[11] "The Monkey's Paw", a story from issue #42 (July 1963), featured a one-panel appearance, with his costume miscolored, by the defunct Fawcett Comics' Captain Marvel, who was not yet a DC character. The letters page of #113 (October 1971) described it as "strictly a private joke" on the part of former Captain Marvel artist Schaffenberger. The story was reprinted in #104 (October 1970) with the costume coloring corrected.[12] The Catwoman made her first Silver Age appearance in #70 (November 1966).[13] In issue #80 (January 1968), Lois' fashions were updated to a more contemporary look.[14][15]

By the 1970s, the stories began to reflect growing social awareness: Lois became less fixated on romance and more on current issues. In the controversial story "I Am Curious (Black)!" in #106 (November 1970),[16] Lois uses a machine that allows her to experience racism firsthand as an African American woman.[17] The series saw the debut of the Silver Age heroine "Rose & The Thorn" in a backup feature that ran from #105 (October 1970)[18][19] through #130 (April 1973). Editor E. Nelson Bridwell had several characters and plot concepts from Jack Kirby's "Fourth World" appear in issues #111–119 (July 1971 – February 1972).[20] Lois' sister, Lucy Lane, was believed to have died in issue #120 (March 1972) but the character was later revived.[21]

In 1974, the title ended, as Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen had earlier that year. Both would be merged into The Superman Family, which chronologically continued from the elder title, premiering with issue #164 (April–May 1974).[22] The release of the last issue of Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane was delayed for several months due to a nationwide paper shortage.[23]

Other Lois Lane titles

The character has appeared in several self-titled miniseries and one-shots including:

  • Lois Lane – a two issue limited series published in August and September 1986.[24]
  • Superman: Lois Lane – a one-shot published in June 1998 as part of the "Girlfrenzy!" Fifth-week event.[25]
  • Flashpoint: Lois Lane and the Resistance – a three-issue limited series published August 2011 – October 2011 as part of the Flashpoint crossover.[26]
  • Superman: Lois Lane #1 – a one-shot published in April 2014.[27]
  • Lois Lane – a 12-issue limited series by writer Greg Rucka and artist Mike Perkins released in July 2019.

Collected editions
  • Showcase Presents: Superman Family
    • Volume 1 includes Showcase #9, 576 pages, March 2006, 1-4012-0787-1.
    • Volume 2 includes Showcase #10 and Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #1–7, 520 pages, February 2008, 1-4012-1656-0.
    • Volume 3 includes Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #8–16, 576 pages, March 2009, 1-4012-2188-2.
    • Volume 4 includes Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #17–26, 520 pages, March 2013, 1-4012-3837-8.
  • Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane Archives Volume 1 – collects Showcase #9–10 and Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #1–8, 264 pages, January 2012, 1-4012-3315-5.
  • Superman in the Fifties – includes Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #8, 192 pages, October 2002, 1563898268.
  • Showcase Presents: Supergirl – includes Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #14, 528 pages, November 2007, 1-4012-1717-6.
  • DC's Greatest Imaginary Stories, Vol. 1 includes Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #19 and 51, 192 pages, September 2005, 978-1401205348
  • Superman in the Sixties – includes Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #20 and 42, 240 pages, October 1999, 1563895226.
  • Superman: The Bottle City of Kandor includes Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #21, 76, 78; 200 pages, October 2007, 978-1401214654
  • Catwoman: Nine Lives of a Feline Fatale – includes Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #70–71, 208 pages, July 2004, 1401202136.
  • Batman Arkham: Catwoman includes Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #70-71, 248 pages, September 2021, 978-1401299804
  • DC's Greatest Imaginary Stories, Vol. 2 includes Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #89, 144 pages, June 2010, 978-1401227258
  • Diana Prince: Wonder Woman Vol. 2 – includes Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #93, 176 pages, August 2008, 1401218253.
  • Superman in the Seventies – includes Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #106, 224 pages, November 2000, 1563896389.
  • Lois Lane: A Celebration of 75 Years – special anniversary anthology, celebrating Lois Lane' seventy-five years in comics. Includes Superman's Girlfriend, Lois Lane #1, 5, 16, 23, 42, 106; 384 pages, November 2013, 1401247032.

See also

References
  1. Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane at the Grand Comics Database
  2. Lois Lane Annual at the Grand Comics Database
  3. Schelly, William (2013). American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1950s. TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 168. ISBN 9781605490540.
  4. Miller, John Jackson (n.d.). "1962 Comic Book Sales Figures". Comichron: The Comics Chronicles. Archived from the original on October 8, 2014.
  5. Irvine, Alex (2010). "1950s". In Dolan, Hannah (ed.). DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 85. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. The future title Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane got a tryout in issues #9 and #10 of Showcase, when Lois Lane stepped in as the lead feature.
  6. Irvine "1950s" in Dolan, p. 89: "Following her successful test run in the pages of Showcase #9 and #10, Lois Lane got her own title Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane in which Superman was ever the prankster".
  7. Kurt Schaffenberger at the Grand Comics Database
  8. Daniels, Les (1995). "The Superman Family Strength in Numbers". DC Comics: Sixty Years of the World's Favorite Comic Book Heroes. New York, New York: Bulfinch Press. p. 118. ISBN 0821220764. [Editor Mort Weisinger] inaugurated Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane. Kurt Schaffenberger was the principal artist on this series.
  9. Voger, Mark; Voglesong, Kathy (2003). "Front Page Romance". Hero Gets Girl!: The Life and Art Of Kurt Schaffenberger. Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing. pp. 43–45. ISBN 1-893905-29-2.
  10. Eury, Michael (2006). The Krypton Companion. Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 67. ISBN 1-893905-61-6.
  11. Irvine "1950s" in Dolan, p. 95: "Pat Boone made his first DC appearance in Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #9 (May 1959)...Later in the year, Boone got his own series".
  12. Voger p. 45: "'That was sort of an 'in' joke'. Kurt later told an interviewer. 'Mort [Weisinger] knew what I was doing. We both figured at that time that Captain Marvel was a thing of the past...He was colored differently – green instead of red, I think. But then when reprinted in a Lois Lane Annual [sic], they put the red union suit on him'".
  13. Dorfman, Leo (w), Schaffenberger, Kurt (p), Schaffenberger, Kurt (i). "The Catwoman's Black Magic!" Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane, no. 70 (November 1966).
  14. McAvennie, Michael "1960s" in Dolan, p. 128: "She started trading in her generic blouse-and-pencil skirt combinations for a "mod" wardrobe filled with printed dresses, go-go boots, mini-skirts, and hot pants".
  15. Simonson, Louise (2007). DC Comics Covergirls. Milan, Italy: Rizzoli Universe Promotional Books. p. 80. ISBN 978-0-7893-1544-1. To signal this change, Lois literally ripped the 'Girl Friend' from the logo of Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #80, giving readers notice of a bold new direction for the heroine.
  16. Kanigher, Robert (w), Roth, Werner (p), Colletta, Vince (i). "I Am Curious (Black)!" Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane, no. 106 (November 1970).
  17. Sacks, Jason; Dallas, Keith (2014). American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1970s. TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 19. ISBN 978-1605490564.
  18. McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 141: "The second feature uncovered the roots of Rose Forrest/Thorn's identity, as told by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Ross Andru".
  19. Cassell, Dewey (May 2013). "A Rose By Any Other Name...Would Be Thorn". Back Issue!. Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing (64): 28–32.
  20. Morrow, John (Spring 2005). "Opening Shot" (PDF). Jack Kirby Collector. Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing (42): 2–3. Retrieved September 21, 2012. The Fourth World influence was brought in by E. Nelson Bridwell, DC's continuity cop.
  21. Bates, Cary; Vartanoff, Irene (w), Roth, Werner (p), Colletta, Vince (i). "Who Killed Lucy Lane?" Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane, no. 120 (March 1972).
  22. McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 159: "DC's 100-page Super Spectaculars were proving popular, so DC said goodbye to Supergirl, Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane, and housed the characters together in Superman Family. Continuing the numbering from where Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen ended, the series featured classic reprints with new tales in the lead spot".
  23. Wells, John (October 24, 1997), "'Lost' DC: 1971–1975", Comics Buyer's Guide, Iola, Wisconsin, no. 1249, p. 125, In the wake of a nationwide paper shortage, DC canceled several of its lower-selling titles in late 1973...[Supergirl #10] and three other completed comic books slated for release in November 1973 (Secret Origins #7, Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #137, and Weird Worlds #10) were put on hold until the summer of 1974.
  24. Lois Lane at the Grand Comics Database
  25. Superman: Lois Lane at the Grand Comics Database
  26. Flashpoint: Lois Lane and the Resistance at the Grand Comics Database
  27. Superman: Lois Lane at the Grand Comics Database
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